At nearly $5 million, a 1959 Ferrari took the top price at this year's Pebble Beach collector car auctions.

By Sue Zesiger Callaway, Fortune

8 of 10

1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special

Sold for: $2,530,000

RM Auctions

Wow. If you think the Germans - particularly Mercedes-Benz, which ruled global automotive engineering at the time - were simply austere, look again. This is fine and unsubtle design at its best. The Mayfair-bodied car (a U.K.-based coachworks) is louvered to within an inch of its fine shape. And the skirted rear fenders are enough to give the French cars of the era a run.